Gate and barrier control mechanist



' M. R. HutcHlsoN GATE AND BARRIER CONTROL MECHNIS Filed Jima 15, 1922 3 Sheei-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Dec. l1,

M. R. HUTCHISON GATEAND BARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1.922

WIT/VESSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 D. 11, -1923. g 1,477,493 M. R. HUTCHISON GATE AND BARRIER coNTRoL MECHANISM Filed-June 15., i922 s sheets-sheet Patented Dec. 1l, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILLER REESE HUTC-IISON, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A.SSIGNOR TO HUTCHISON THR-IFT CORPORATION, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE GATE AND BARRIER CONTROL MECEANISM.

Application filed June 15, 1922.

This invention relates to gate and barrier control mechanism for use in self-service stores or other establishments, and has reference more particularly to the combination, in a sales or like establishment, of a plurality of barriers for predetermining the course ot a customer within the establishment, with means for simultaneously controlling the barriers. The invention also relates to the combination, in a sales establishment, of barriers therein for predetermining the course of a customer, and portal control mechanism :tor the establishment, with means for simultaneously operating the barriers and the portal control mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient mechanism for controlling gates and barriers within a sales or like establishment, by means ot which the barriers can be readily rendered inoperative in case of emergency, or for other reasons, which is simple and eli'ective in operation, and which can be inexpensively produced.

A further object ot the invention to provide mechanism of the hind specii'ied, which can be readily controlled from central point or station, which will be operative at all times, when desired, and which requires but a very simple manipulation for its operation and control.

A still further object oit the invention is to provide mechanism of this kind, which, while adapted for use with many diiferent l-:inds oi establishments, is particularly use-- ful in connection with self-service stores.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. f

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a diagrammatic plan view Serial No. 568,536.

showing a form of self-service store having my invention incorporated therein;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal fragmentary section oi the establishment shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section of the upper part of the construction shown in Figure 3.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation ot my invention, it should be clearly understood that while I have shown the same, for example, as incorporated in a self-service store, such as that disclosed in my copending application for Letters Patent or the United States, filed June 7, 1922, Serial No. 566,607, the gate and barrier control mechanism may be advantageously employed with other like or di'erent establishments. It will also be understood that while I have illustrated herewith, as one of the barriers controlled by means of my system, a portal control mechanism, such as that disclosed in my copending application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed May 22, 1922, Serial No. 562648, this particular feature of the present system is not an essential one and some other apparatus may be used in its place or it may be entirely dispensed with. Essentially, my invention contemplates means for controlling a plurality of separated gates, barriers or portal controls in a sales establishment or the like, which barriers predetermine, or partly predetermine, the course of the customers within the establishment, so that, in case of emergency, the barriers or the like may be inoperatively disposed to eliminate the predetermination of the course of the customers and to give them freedom of exit from the establishment or complete freedom of movement Within it. Many of the details of construction may be varied in accordance with individual preference or special conditions, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In establishments of the kind here under discussion, the merchandise is arranged openly on display in suitable merchandise holders or containers, such as shelves or the like, so that the customer entering passes through the store and selects, from its merchandise holders, the goods which he or she desires to purchase. On leaving thestore the purchase is checked up and wiapped,` itt necessary. The customer then makes payment and leaves the establishment. As will be pointed out more particularly hereinafter, l provide means which not only assist the customer in carryingi the selected merchandise through the establishn'ient, but which, at the same time, direct and predetermine his course, so that he must pass practically all of the merchandise on displ ay. rlfhis :frequently causes the customer to add; to his purchase articles which he would not otherwise have selected or which had not occurred to him until he had seen them.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, my seit-service store is located in any buildingi ot suitable construction, and prei"- erably of elongated forni, having side walls 11, a rear Wall l2', and the customary store front 13. rl`he store iront is provided with an entrance 14;, preferably at the. center, and having' doors or the like. The liront also is suitably provided with show-windows l employ a vestibule 126 leading' into a lobby or foyer l?. At one side oi' the lobby l provide a portal, )assage through which is controlled by suitable mechanism, such as a pair of turnstiles 18. The lobby is divided from the salesroom 19 of the store by a partition or rail 2O and aA counter il extend-- ing transversely with respect 'to the rail 20.

At the rear the salesroom 19 :is separated from a storerooin 22 by means oli a wall or partition 23, having one side a door 242 connecting the salesroom and the storeroom.

Arranged within the salesroom and tending ytransversely thercot is a checki t, counter E25. 'lhis is disposed parallel to the counter 2l and rearward'y spaced thea-cirom. At the ends the counter 2 has :ton wardly projecting rails and lll' these the latter terminates at a point sub stantially central with respect to the turnstiles 18. rllhc 4rail 2G entends to a point slightly to the rear ol the counter 2l. A. second counter 28 is located. within the salesroom parallel to the counter Q and rearwardly spaced therefrom. Swinging gates 29 are hung at the ends et' the counter and extend to the counter 2@ to prevent customers entering between these two connters. Positioned within the salesroom and tending longitudinally thereof are two parallel merchandise holders 30. These may consist of cabinets, shelves, bins, or any other suitable devices for the purpose. The merchandise holders may be two or more in number, and each at its endsV is spaced respectively from the partition 23 and from the counter 28, as is clearly shown in Figure l. Between the ends ot the merchandise holders 30 and the partition 23 are gates or barriers 3l of any suitable construction, mounted to slide vertically in guides provided for the purpose. These `gates, when in normal positions, are lowered, as is shown in Figure 2, and render ditlicult the passage oi" custom s be'ween the rear ends oi the merchandise holders 30 and the partition 23. Between the merchandise holders 30 is arranged an additional or auxiliary merchandise holde. 32, likewise consisting oit shelves,

ins, cabinets, or similar structures. EX tending alongthe side walls oit the building are shelves, cabinets, bins, or the like, il`

constituting merchandise holdi ,i oit any suitable type. The last--mentined mer-- chandise holders ou extend from the rear wall or partition Q8 towards the front ot the salesroom. An additional merchandise holder 341C is located at the front et the store across one of the show-windows l5. Near the last-mentioned merchandise holder 34 is a display holder 35, upon wnichI may be arranged fruits, vegetables, and the like. I prefer to associate with the last-mentioned display holder a centrally positioned fountain 3G, Jor purposes oi? ornamentation and likewise to assist in keeping the perishable merchandise on display in goed condition. A 'further merchandise holder i-l is built into the partition 23 and extends into the storeroom, as is clearly shown in Figure l.

A gate or barrier 42, similar to the like devices 3l, is positioned between the 'torward end ot the merchandise holder 32 and the counter 28.

l provide a track and carrier constructed lor use in connection with my store, which consists, for sample, et a monorail l0 mounted in any suitable manner upon the various supports thereof, such as the nier- -chandise holders and the partition The monorail entends 'trom a point near the forward end of the merchandise holder 33 at the entrance side ot the salesroom, alongthe length thereof, across the door 24, along both sides oi the adjacent merchandise holder 30, along` the length ot the merchandiseholdcr lha-long both sides ot the other merchandise holder 30, along the adjacent portion of the partition 23, and along the length ot the remaining merchandise holder 33 to a point adjacent the inner end of the merchandise holder 35. The monorail may be of any suitable construction, and, fory example, may be similar to that disclosed in my copendinni application tor Letters Patent of the United States, Serial llo. 567,179, filed June 9, 192:2. I employ carriers in connection with the track syste-m, which may be of any suitable type, and are arranged to travel upon the' rail and be pro polled by the customer. Preferably they are sor construct-ed that they may be freely rellti moved from the track and carried by the customer. l have indicated such carriers at 37. Near the entrance to the salesroom is located a carrier receptacle 38, so that each customer, as he enters the salesroom, may take one of the carriers and place it upon the monorail for use as he proceeds through the establishment and selects his merchandise. l also provide suitable mechanism 39 for returning the. carriers, when the customers are through with them, from the counter 25 to the carrier receptacle 38. This carrier returner may be of any suitable construction, though l'prefer to utilize that iorm ot the device which is shown in my patent application above referred to, Serial No. 567,179. Adjacent to the barriers 31 the monorail has movable sections 31 secured in any suitable manner to the barriers 31, so that they may move with the same. rlhus, when the ybarriers are inoperatively disposed, the monorail sections are likewise displaced and offer no obstruction to the movement of customers at the rear ends of the merchandise holders 30.

A gate or barrier 42, similar to the like devices 31, is positioned between the for-- ward end of the merchandise holder` 32 and the counter 28.

The portal control mechanism, which I prefer to employ with my self-service store, includes two turnstiles 18. It has a base 43, upon which are mounted two spaced vertical posts or columns 44 of cylindrical form. These posts 44 are seated in suitable sockets 45 and have their upper extremities received in openings 46 of a housing 47 secured above the base 43 and forming the top of the portal. Preferably, the housing 47 is mounted under the ceiling of the establishment which the portal serves.

Slidably and rotatably Apositioned upon each ot' the posts 44 is a cylindrical hub 48, to which the arms of the t-urnstiles 18 are secured. Positioned between the posts is a gate or barrier 49 having at its upper corners arcuate extensions 50, which partly embrace the posts and slidably lguide the barrier between them. At. its lower corners the barrier has brackets 51 for a like purpose. Each hub 48 has a ratchet 52, with which cooperates a spring-pressed dog 53 carried by one ot Jthe brackets 51. The dog and ratchet devices control the direction of turning of the turnstiles in the usual manner.

dlidably positioned Within each ot the posts 44 is a counterweight 54 having at its upper end a reduced part 55 and an ear 56. A flexible connection, such as a cord 57, is connected to the barrier 49 and one of the counterweights passing over a pair of suitable pulleys 58 and 59 provided for the purpose within the housing 47. Pivotally mounted on the shaft of one of the pulleys 58 and 59 is a latch 60, the nose oi which engages the reduced art 55 of the corresponding counterweignt and serves to hold the same in a normal raised position. A similar latch 61 cooperates with the other counterweight The two latches are operatively joined by means ol a connecting rod 62, so that lthey will operate in unison. A ilexible member, such as a cord 63, is secured to the other counterweight 54 and passes over a pulley 64, upon the shatt ol which the latch 61 is pivotally mounted. A flexible member 65 is secured to the end ot' the connecting rod 62 and passes around a horizontal pulley 66 and out of the housing. The flexible member or cord 65 passes over a pulley 67 and depends to a position near the cashiers cage or station 68 at the end of the counter 25, having at its lower extremity a handle 69 for; its manipulation. The cord or cable 63, after leaving the housing and passing around a pulley 63a, is joined to similar additional cables 70,which pass over pulleys 71 and are connected respectively t0 the barriers 31 and 42.

The arrangement of the parts is such that in the normal positions ot the counterweights 54, the turnstiles 18, the barrier 49, and the gates 31 and 42 are all lowered and, in. normal positions, obstructing` the movement of the customers in the salesroom. ln case of emergency, or for other reasons, all these gates, barriers, and the like, may be inoperatively positioned simultaneously by the attendant at the cashiers counter seizing the handle 69 and pulling downwardly upon the cord or cable 65. V7 hen this is done, the latches 60 and 61 are withdrawn trom engagement with the counterweights. The .latter descend Within the hollow posts and, in so doing, pull upon the cables 57, 63 and 70 and move all ot' the barriers attached thereto upwardly. A spring 72 connected to the end of the connecting rod 62 and to the housing serves normally to hold the latches in operative positions until they are released by the action oic the attendant. lt will be seen that by means of this system, all ot the gates and barriers, which predetermine the movements et the customers within the salesroom, can be simultaneously rendered inoperative from a central point or station, when so desired.

l claim:

1. In a self-service store, a plurality of articles of store furniture, said articles being arranged to form a continuous passage through the store, a plurality of carriers arranged to coact with said articles ol turniture to form said continuous passage, and means for simultaneously moving said barriers to ineli'ective position to destroy the continuous nature ot the passage to provide paths of exit shorter than usual in case oi. emergency.

2. .in a self-service store, a salcsroom having a portal, a gate associated With said portal and operable only 'for the ingress of customers, a plurality of articles of store turniture; arranged to form a continuous passagethrou-gh the salesrooin away from said portal a plurality of barriers arranged to eoact with said articles ot iiurnitu're to torni said continuous passage, and means for sifmultaneously moving said gate tov a position to allow egress oi? customers and itor movin-g said barriers to ineiiiective position to destroy the continuous nature oii the passage and to provide paths of exit shorter thanl usual.

A3. In a self-service store, a salesroom irrcluding a plurality oiE articles oit store Yturniture spaced to establish alongside the same a plurality of passages to be traversed by customers, a portal having a swing gate operable only for the ingress ot customers, a barrier extending from one of said articles of iurniture and so disposed' as to make closed aisles ot a plurality ot sai-d passages, and means for simul-taneously moving said barrier to ineffective position and moving said gate to a position to pern'rit egress ot customers irom the salesroom', thereby to establish shortened and unlmpeded paths of exit from the salesroom in case oi an emerr gency.

l. in a self-service store, a salesroom including a plurality or articles ot store furniture spaced to establish alongside the saine a plurality of passages toy be ti-aversed by customers, a portal having a pivoted gate operable only for the ingress et custom-ers, a barrier extending from one ot said articles or' furniture and so disposed as to make closed aisles o1 said plurality of passages, and means operable trom a centii'al station for moving said barrier to inetlieetive p tion and moving said gate topermit cgi of customers from the salesroom, thereby to establish shortened. and iin-impeded paths et exit from the salesiioom in case oi' an emergency.

5. in combination,y in a sales establishment, a salesroom having a portal, i-ontrolling` mechanism associated with said portal and comprising a. turnstilc, a plurality oi articles of store furniture and a barrier Within said salesroom for guidingl the movement of customers therein relative to a predetermined path, and means for rendering said control mechanism and said barrier ineffective, thereby to provide a shortened and unimpeded path of exit for customers in case of an emergency.

6. In combination, in a sales establishment, a salesroom having a portal, controlling mechanism associated With said portal and comprising a turnstile, a plurality of articles of store furniture and a barrier Within said salesroom for guiding the move-V ment ofcustmnersv therein relative to a. predetermined path, means for normally urging said barrier and said control mechanism to ineffective position, and releasing means' for the means last mentioned.

7. In. combination, in a sales establish-v ment, a salesroom having a portal, controlling mechanism associated with sai-d portal and comprising a turnstile, a plurality ot articles of store furniture and a barrier Within said salesroom for guiding the movement oi" customers therein relative to a predetermined path, means for normally urging said barrier and said control mechanism to ineffective position, and releasing means for the means last mentioned and operable from a centralI station.

8. In combination, in a sales establishment, a salesrooin having a port-el provided with a movable turnstile, a barrier arranged lto move with said turnstile, a second barrier Within said salesroom, said turnstile and. said barriers normally being in eiiective positions, means connected with said turnstile and said barriers andk tending to more the same into ineffective positions. means or holding said last-mentioned means inoperative, and means tor releasing said last-mentioned means.

9. In combination, in a sales establishment, -a salesroom having a portal, control mechanism arranged at said portal and comprising a turnstiie and a barrier adapted to move in unison, a second barrier within sai-d salesroom, a counteriveight tending to move said turnstile and said barriers into ineffective positions, a latch lor holding said cou-nteriveight inoperative, and means for releasing said latch from a distant point.

l0. In combination, in a sales establish-- ment, a salesroom having a portali, control mechanism arranged: at said portal and comprising a turnstile and a barrier mounted to be moved vertically into inetfectiy positions, barriers Within said salesroom and serving to regulate the movement of customers therein, said last-mentioned barriers being vvertically 'movable into ineffective positions, and common means igor releasably holding said turnstile and said barriers in predetermined positions.

li.. In combi-nation, in a sales establishment, a` salesroom having a portal, control mechanism arranged at said portal and comprising a turnstile and a barrier mounted to be moved vertically into ineffective positions, barriers Within said salesroom and serving to regulate the movement of customers therein, said last-mentioned barriers being vertically movable into ineii'ective positions, means tending to raise said turnstile and said barriers into ineffective positions, and means for controlling 'said last-mentioned means trema central pointer station.

l2. In a combinatioininf a sales establishment, a salesroom having a portal, control mechanism arranged at said portal and oomprisiiig a turnstile and a barrier vertically movable in unison, a plurality of barriers arranged Within said salesrooin and vertically movable, counterweiglits tending to move said turnstile and said barriers into ineii'eotive positions, flexible members conneoting` said eounterweights and said turnstile and barriers, means for holding said countervveights inoperative, and means for l releasing said last-mentioned means from a central pointl or station.

MILLER REESE HUTCHISON. 

